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There are many more than 100 worthy women in Canada. But 100 is the number that the Supply Chain Management Association (SCMA) has chosen to honour in its first-ever listing of influential women in Canadian supply chain. And, to be fair, the number is actually 200, including the women-to-watch list.

SCMA chose the number 100 because 2019 is the association’s centennial year and probably because it’s a nice round number. (Our coverage of the announcement is on page 12 in this issue.) But I imagine they had a hard time winnowing it down to just a century. Look around and you’ll see plenty of women working hard in supply chain jobs.

As one of the women on the list, I’m honoured to be included, and lament that we even need to make a distinction for women in this industry. It actually makes me sad and little angry that we need to highlight the achievements of one sex over another.

But, our annual salary survey has shown for as many years as I’ve been on this magazine (that’s 17 if you’re counting), that women consistently make 25 to 30 per cent less than their male counterparts in supply chain jobs. Overall, based on 2016 data, Canada had the eighth-highest gender pay gap out of 43 countries, including the EU, which was counted as one.

According to data shared by the Canada Women’s Foundation, women with a bachelor’s degree in this country earn about $69,000 while men with the same credential make almost $98,000. In 2016 three out of Canada’s 100 best paid CEOs were women, and in Ontario, the best paid 10 per cent of the female workforce still earns 37 per cent less than the top 10 per cent of men.

The existence of this salary gap alone is enough to legitimize the recognition of female contributions as a means of showing how hard we work and how amazingly good we are at our jobs. Because apparently we still need to make the point, even in 2019.

I’d love to hear from women in supply chain. What do you think about working conditions, pay, and recognition in our niche?Please drop me a note!